The Festival of Reformation
Posted on October 31, 2025 by under
Scripture: Revelation 14:6-7 (NKJV)
14:6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”
Devotion
The eternal Gospel is beautifully presented in these two verses, concise and divinely wondrous. The content of this “good news” is not found in verse seven, which is a summary of the purpose for which the Gospel is proclaimed. The Gospel is the good news of our redemption through the blood of the Lamb. This Gospel is eternal in that it will be preached to the end of time. God still calls to men, His creatures, warning them not to repeat the sin of Adam by leaping over the boundary between creature and Creator. His calling is both the Law and the Gospel, in that it presents the gracious warnings and promises of God to His chosen elect.
As we celebrate the festival of the Reformation, we give thanks to God that He sent Luther and the other faithful teachers of the Reformation to proclaim the Word of God rightly. The Law and the Gospel both are treasures of the Church, and by our Lord’s grace they are taught clearly and properly in our midst.
Collect: Almighty God, merciful Father, Who madest the light to shine out of darkness, we thank Thee that Thou hast shown mercy unto us and our fathers, and by means of Thy servant Martin Luther hast restored the pure light of Thy Gospel: Keep us, we beseech Thee, in sound doctrine, that we may steadfastly believe and worthily follow Thy saving Word, and finally, by its holy comfort, depart in peace and joy; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
O Almighty and most Merciful God, of Thy bountiful goodness keep us, we beseech Thee, from all things that may hurt us; that we, being ready, both in body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish those things that Thou wouldest have done; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
